Cold mounting & laminating

Question 8

Do I need to meet any Health & Safety guidelines?

Always ensure any product you buy has an official CE mark (which is a legal requirement).  Also look out for these important safety features (The Easymount range has all of the listed features);

• Magic eye
• Emergency stop buttons (preferably one each side of the laminator)
• Protective safety shield

! It is also important to update your Health & Safety policy and/or Risk Assessment to include rules and precautions for employees to follow when operating the laminator.

! Only allow trained operators to use the laminator to reduce risk of incorrect use or accidental damage.  Put a notice next to your laminator to clearly state this to employees, especially if you have new starters. 

Question 9

Will I have enough space?

As with any new purchase of a large item, space is usually an issue for most people.

Remember you don't just need the system to fit, you need to allow a working area around it to give enough space to feed your prints in and for them to exit without being creased or crushed against anything.

!  Vivid recommend at least a 1 metre working area around the system to ensure safe operation.   

Question 10

What if something goes wrong?

Occasionally problems do happen, so it's good to know that if they do you have backup. 

! Always check to make sure the laminator you are looking to buy comes with a full warranty on parts and labour for at least 12 months (The Easymount range includes this on all models).

It may also be worth looking into an extended warranty or service agreement, these can save time in the long run and ensure your laminator stays in excellent working condition.

That's the TOP 10 key questions answered.  Next you can choose to contact us with your wide format requirements, or you can view our Easymount wide format range for yourself.

Troubleshooting Tips

Already have a laminator and need more advice?  View our troubleshooting guide below;

What is the difference between heated and cold rollers and what does the term ‘silvering’ mean?

Some Pressure Sensitive Films if applied cold can leave a slight “silvering” effect on the print.  If approx 40c heat is applied on the rollers when this film is applied the silvering disappears.

This is due to the fact the glue on the film is softened and warmed when applied and speeds up the polymerisation process.  Over time the silvering when applied cold does slightly reduce but does not totally disappear.

Not all films need heat and vinyls and vehicle wrap film work better when laminated cold.  Most sign makers therefore feel that a cold machine will be fine because the silvering effect is minimal.  Photographers and Exhibition graphic suppliers are more critical and therefore require a heated top roller for a perfect finish.

Our Easymount range of cold systems have rubber rollers and the heated roller machines have a silicon rubber roller. 

How do I successfully laminate an inkjet print that has a high ink coverage?

Laminating a high ink coverage print can be tricky as standard heat activated polyester films with a co-polymer adhesive tend to stick to the ink and not the paper. The laminate can then lift off darker colour areas of the print and the problem becomes more obvious when the darker areas extend to the edge of the print with no white border for the adhesive to bond to.

Another problem that may occur with laminating high ink coverage is that the ink can separate from the paper at a high heat 100-120C and air bubbles can appear.

A solution to this can be to change the inkjet paper and apply a heat-activated polyester laminate (please ask for details). The paper should be more accepting to the ink and provide a better bonding surface for co-polymer adhesives.

! Also remember that prints must be completely dry before laminating and highly saturated prints will take longer to dry.  

How can I avoid laminator film wrap up?

Always ensure that you have clearance behind the laminating machine before you start laminating, as with many things preparation is the key so it is best to make sure you have enough working space available and avoid backing your laminator up against a wall. Try and let 2/3” of film to appear out of the back of the laminator as you start to laminate. 

My lamination is bubbly/rippling – what has caused this?

Bubbling is usually caused by the heat setting on the machine being set too high so if your machine has heat control (which most do) then lower the temperature.

! It is a good idea to always run a test print through the laminator first if you are unsure. 

My lamination is cloudy – what has caused this?

This is usually the result of insufficient heat so if your machine has heat control, try and increase the temperature. Also, check the specifications of your machine and that you are not using a film that is too thick. 

General tips & tricks 

! Remember the foot pedal is there to help - so use it. If you want to take extra care   quickly start and then stop to get the print safely into the rollers before turning the rollers on, this should avoid the possibility of the print wrapping around the rollers. 

! Push out to the sides of the print using your fingertips as you insert the print.

! Always feed the print into the laminator with the curl of the material.

! Always ensure the glue side of the film is facing the right way before you start the rollers, otherwise you may end up with glue melting all over the rollers.

! To separate multiple documents that you have laminated, don't try and cut it with scissors or a knife, just simply nick where you want to separate and then gently pull apart.

! Don't turn off the laminator when it is still at a high heat without separating the rollers first as the heat may cause a flat spot in the rollers.  Once this happens the lamination quality will not be consistent and new rollers can be expensive to replace.